Government Employee to VP Robredo: We Made FOI Happened Without Budget

Vice President Leni Robredo explained in an official statement that one of her reason why she resigned her post was because of the 2017 budge which was slashed by more than P19 billion but a government employee lambasts the VP by saying that they made the FOI happened even without the budget from the government.

The Vice President released to the press the following statement a day before she filed her resignation letter:

In barely five months, we have solid accomplishments in HUDCC. This, despite the obstacles thrown our way, which are:

One, the budget for all key shelter agencies in 2017 has been slashed
by more than P19 billion. Two, all our key shelter agency appointment
recommendations have not been acted on. Three, the Executive Order
designed to make HUDCC effective was not signed.

Due to the statement of Vice President Leni Robredo, a government employee who claimed that he worked for the implementation of the Freedom of Information EO signed by Pres. Duterte.

According to his statement which is now viral on Facebook, Kris Ablan shared his 5 month work experience. He noted that during their project wherein they were given only 120 days to implement the program, there's "No Money, No People. And Very Little Time," but they successfully implemented their project without any complaint.

Here's the Complete Statement of Kris Ablan:

As
a government official serving the Duterte administration, I'd like to
share my 5 month work experience, so that you guys get a glimpse of what
happens behind the scenes.

After the President signed the EO on FOI, he instructed the PCOO to oversee implementation. There was no budget for FOI in the 2016 GAA. (None also for 2017 because the previous admin prepared next year's budget) There was also no personnel whatsoever for a project monitoring office. And we were given only 120 days to implement the program.

Let me repeat. No money. No people. And very little time. But we did it. Because the president told us to do so.

We scraped for funds here and there. We asked for technical assistance
from other agencies like DICT and DBM. We convinced people to volunteer
for FOI. And we worked hard, day in, day out.

With what we had,
we conducted more than a dozen FOI workshops, drafted model FOI manuals,
printed FOI forms, launched a working FOI website, and had 95% FOI
Manual compliance rate across the departments, all within 120 days. No complaints. Just results. Because this is a government that works.

Source: Kris Ablan FB Page

Government Employee to VP Robredo: We Made FOI Happened Without Budget
Reviewed by Phil Newsome
on
12/05/2016
Rating: 5